Interesting looking bike!
Looks a bit high?
I've just spent the afternoon lowering my seat by 3", to get my toosh closer to the ground.
The high BB looks like it would be good for aero though. Maybe we can catch up on of the VicHPV rides!

Freddy I went out on the VicHPV ride yesterday from St Kilda so might see you there sometime?? What do you ride? Yes my bent is quite high but its great in traffic. Think I would be a bit worried on a low racer or trike riding on the streets. Just waiting to get some panniers for my bike then im going to start overnight trips around VIC.

Lloyd, I have a self built SWB, and two self built trikes.
I mostly commute on my trikes, as I find that their carrying capacity and stability makes them ideal for commuting. I never really feel vulnerable riding in traffic, but then I guess Ballarat's traffic is not quite as hectic. Having said that, I have ridden my trike in Melbourne CBD.
I don't often get to Melb for the VicHOV rides, as I don't ride on Sundays. Occasionally I'll organise a ride in Ballarat, or join one of the long W/E rides.

Two day, super easy build over Father's Day weekend, w/grandson keeping me busy on the torch. I cheated.. All I did was build forward from an existing rear axle from a 'granny's trike'. I used an existing 38mm down tube w/attached head tube from a BMX, then simply lengthened the DT with extra 38mm x 1.65mm tubing to create the main tube. Then just added a "Y" at the rear axle and brazed on a BB shell. Even with steel hubs, 3 pounds of basket framing on the rear, steel stem and handle bars (which are temporary), it still weighs only 19 kg. Seat height is abut 450mm - tiller is 152mm - trail is set at about 25mm - handling is 'sweet'. It is currently setup as an SS, but plan to re-lace the LH wheel w/i-Motion 3 or 9 speed hub. Keep it simple.

I had considered lowering the seat, but stopped short at dining room chair height (because it would necessitate additional tiller, which I'd rather not do) - grandson wants it lower... go figure!

(updated image)

Last edited by papa on Wed Jul 15, 2009 12:25 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Leigh_caines wrote:I'm with the boy.... lower seat and underseat stearing

I probably would've mounted the seat lower, but I screwed-up early in the build. I initially tacked on the main tube for a trial fit, and made a mental note to shorten it a few inches, but got disrupted. Needless to say, the BB shell ended up too far rearward, forcing me to use more tiller than I originally planned.

I'm not fond of remote steering - particularly USS. It adds additional weight, complexity, and makes mounting and dismounting more awkward than I like.

John Lewis wrote:Nice build there papa. Does it have some form of diff or just drive from one side. I can see that if it only drives on the left then indeed that makes it really easy to add a hub gear.

John Lewis

Yes, just drives the LH wheel. The axle originally had 24" wheels w/Shimano 3-speed IG hub so I had intended to re-lace a 20" rim with the 3 spd, but spoke count was different (28 Vs. 36). Time left me with no choice but to go ahead and mount the single speed 20 inch wheels and try it - surprisingly, it is quite frisky and since the terrain here is reasonably flat, I pondered just leaving it as an SS.

The three fifths of the collection, with the newest arrival centre stage.

2x Greenspeeds, 1x Indi 500 Bush Bandit

The other 'bent, inside out of the sun.

Greenspeed SWB USS

Joe

To acquire immunity to eloquence is of the utmost importance to the citizens of a democracyBertrand RussellMany people feel their lifestyle has a high price, but they're quite cool with that .. as long as somebody ELSE pays the price.